Chapter 82
Time passed swiftly.
During that time, my daily routine remained mostly unchanged.
Studying magic, crafting mana bombs.
In between, I trained my subordinates and steadily made preparations.
Duke Seltarion.
I had secretly paid him a visit and told him everything. I warned him not to respond under any circumstances if Adolf summoned him.
Perhaps because I had sternly warned him with a firm expression, I was able to secure his agreement.
I had also spoken with Abel and arranged for a few more escort knights, securing at least a minimum level of safety.
‘He must be starting to notice by now.’
There were now only three days left until the succession ceremony.
By now, even Adolf must have started sensing that something was going wrong.
Still, unless something drastic happened, he’d be forced to draw his sword during the succession ceremony.
If he waited until after the succession structure was finalized to launch his rebellion, his strength would inevitably wane.
Rebel afterward?
Aside from controlling the soldiers, once the successor was confirmed, his political standing would be shaken significantly.
The longer he waited, the more unfavorable the game would become for him.
‘Now is practically the optimal time.’
There wasn’t much time left for him.
The training hall outside the annex.
There, thirty gladiators were dripping with sweat as they trained.
By the time it happens, how many of them will survive?
Surely not all of them.
Even so, I had no intention of separating them out.
Life is give and take.
It only lasts long when both sides offer something to the other. I had already given much to the members of the Sword Demon Unit.
Now it was their turn to show me loyalty.
With that thought, I moved toward the training hall alongside Leonhardt.
Seron, who had been training the Sword Demon Unit, quickly ran over when he saw me.
“You’ve arrived, Young Master.”
“Yes. I have something to say—could you gather everyone?”
“Yes, sir.”
And so, the thirty gladiators stood before me.
“How’s life here? Are you all managing well?”
“Yes, sir!”
At my question, the Sword Demon Unit—clad in high-quality black armor and weapons—responded loudly.
Judging by their bright, intense eyes, they seemed quite satisfied with their treatment.
Though the training was intense, their high wages, quality food and lodging, and equipment were all provided at no cost.
I continued speaking as I looked at them.
“The reason I came here today is simple. By now, you should all know a little about me. I reward loyalty with equal compensation. That’s one of my principles.”
I continued, facing the gladiators who silently nodded.
“I’ll get straight to the point. I believe I’ve already given you quite a lot. I haven’t taught you swordsmanship or internal techniques yet, but those aren’t something that can be taught overnight. Loyalty and skill—only once those two are proven can I pass on the family’s secrets.”
That was only natural.
Who in their right mind would teach the family’s techniques to complete strangers at first sight?
Especially to slaves or those of uncertain background?
So it wasn’t surprising that no one showed dissatisfaction.
“As time goes on, your treatment will only get better. That’s something I, Kyle Seltarion, can promise you for sure. So, I want to ask you one thing.”
“……”
Facing the gladiators who quietly focused, I asked a question.
“I’m not the type to demand blind loyalty without offering something in return. True loyalty, I believe, must be compensated. That’s why I say I’ve already given you something. So, can you offer your lives for me?”
“…Yes, sir!”
Their response came a beat late.
Well, that was to be expected.
Their treatment had been good, but they hadn’t been receiving it for that long.
So I understood.
However.
Now, I intended to separate the fakes from the genuine ones.
“Everyone values their own life the most. So if a crisis comes and you act otherwise, I won’t blame you. I won’t chase you down or punish you for running away. You’re free to act according to your heart.”
The gladiators looked puzzled at my words.
Desertion was usually punished by death.
It was the same even for the soldiers of the family.
So for someone like me—a direct descendant of the family—to say such a thing must have sounded strange.
Regardless,
I continued speaking.
“But, the consequences of that action will fall squarely on you. Let me ask—if you flee in a time of crisis, do you really think you have a future?”
At that, the gladiators fell into a quiet silence.
“More than half of you here bear the mark of a slave, and I’d wager that most of you have no home to return to. That’s why you came to me.”
“……”
What they had was slightly more real combat experience than most.
‘And a bit of talent.’
The real issue was their age.
No one wanted to invest in training someone in their late teens or early twenties. Whether in Korea or here, early education was considered crucial.
“If you leave this place, your best case is becoming a farmer or bandit—or at most a squad captain. Honestly, rising higher than that would be difficult. A knight? Not a chance. Am I wrong?”
At my words, the members of the Sword Demon Unit quietly nodded. I had spoken nothing but the truth.
“If you throw yourselves in with the resolve to die for me, you’ll receive a reward equivalent to survival. Swordsmanship and internal techniques? If you’ve proven your loyalty, of course I’ll teach you.”
What I could offer in exchange for their lives—
Was a vision of the future.
“Give and take. That’s what I define as loyalty. Right now, you’re training in peace, but one day… a moment of crisis will come.”
In truth, it wasn’t some vague crisis in the distant future—it was a crisis that would arrive three days later.
“So, when that time comes, think carefully. I’ll say it again: even if you choose to flee then, I won’t punish you. Of course, you’ll never be able to return to the Sword Demon Unit again. Whether you seize the opportunity that crisis brings, or let it slip through your fingers—that choice is entirely up to you.”
“……”
“Then, dismiss and return to training.”
With that, the thirty members returned to the training ground.
Their eyes seemed weighed down with thought.
They were likely pondering how they should act when the time came.
With one task handled—
‘I should go see Remton soon.’
The Marquess.
I had to at least drop a vague hint to him too.
The reason he ended up being killed by Adolf and his pawns in the original storyline was because he showed up at the succession ceremony without the slightest mental preparation.
‘If I at least mention something…’
Then he wouldn’t be caught off guard so helplessly.
There’s a vast difference between being completely unprepared and being mentally aware of something.
And so, Leonhardt and I began heading toward the main residence.
Soon, I reached the office and knocked before entering.
“It’s been a while, Father.”
“Yes.”
A cup of tea was placed in front of both Remton and me.
“Have you completed the aura activation method for the Storm Sword?”
Remton immediately asked, his eyes filled with anticipation.
Truthfully, I had completed it quite a while ago.
But I had no intention of handing it over just yet.
“It’s still a bit incomplete. I need to refine it more… and to be honest, I’d prefer to give it to you when I become independent.”
“You brat. Are you saying you want compensation?”
“It is my family, but giving away everything for free seems a bit much, doesn’t it? I have to make a living too. Running a territory and a Magic Tower—both require a lot of money.”
“Fine. It seems it won’t be long now anyway, so let’s talk about it then. Oh, right. We found their ledger.”
“Is that so?”
The Storm Division.
It looked like the knight order had achieved something.
Remton nodded at my words.
“Yes. Viscount Remington. His name was also listed. Once the succession ceremony is over, I plan to strike Prinus immediately.”
“I see.”
Remton and I took a sip of tea.
Now, how should I bring it up?
He probably hadn’t given much thought to Adolf until now.
So talking about rebellion outright would be difficult.
It might make me seem like a malicious son slandering his own brother.
‘Bringing up the spirits is also tricky.’
Honestly, Abel was more than enough for proper preparations.
The 3rd and 4th Legions.
Two legions under Abel’s command.
Their combined strength numbered around twelve thousand.
The 5th Legion, full of pawns and irregulars, had an unusually bloated headcount.
If the 1st and 2nd Legions under Remton’s command also joined the defense—
Adolf.
He wasn’t stupid.
If he sensed that full preparations had been made, he would delay his rebellion.
Even if the 5th Legion went wild, it wouldn’t be easy to defeat the other four legions.
If he delayed his rebellion?
‘That would be the worst.’
It would make him unpredictable.
And if he launched a surprise attack at night once people had grown complacent, we’d suffer devastating losses.
Revealing everything to Remton now would be a poor decision.
The best course—
‘Just a hint of suspicion.’
That would be ideal.
That level of doubt wouldn’t make Adolf suspicious of the situation.
‘Just showing a slight sense of caution won’t be enough to make him postpone the rebellion.’
Ultimately, the best outcome would be to shape a situation where Adolf believes he still has a chance of winning.
Now that I had decided what to say, it was time to speak.
“Father. Are preparations for the succession ceremony going smoothly?”
“There doesn’t seem to be any major issue.”
“I’m actually a little worried.”
“…Worried?”
“Yes. Surely both eldest brother and second brother are looking forward to it in their own way, right? But once the successor is decided, one of them will be left out… I wonder if they’ll accept that quietly…”
Remton gave a faint chuckle at my words.
“They’ve gotten along well for many years. Of course, they’ll feel some disappointment, but with time, they’ll get over it. You might be worrying too much.”
“Of course, but… you never know. The chances are low, but what if they cause a disturbance? I’m worried that you might be shocked to witness something like that.”
“Haha. Are you even worrying about me now? You’ve grown up, Kyle. Even if something like that did happen, I could understand it. They’ve both worked hard for many years.”
Yeah, right.
Understanding, my foot.
If he saw one of his sons exuding pure malice, he’d probably collapse on the spot.
“Yes. Even if my brothers act out a little, I’m sure you would understand. Still, there’s a world of difference between being mentally prepared and not being prepared at all. That’s why I brought it up—please just consider it a bit. Think of it as your youngest son’s sincere advice.”
As I persistently pressed the point, Remton finally nodded with a defeated expression.
“Alright. Now that I think about it, perhaps I have been too relaxed about that aspect. I’ll prepare myself mentally. Is that good enough?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
Of course, that mental preparation wasn’t anything grand like bracing for rebellion. But that didn’t matter.
Thanks to what I said, at least a bit more of his attention would go to Adolf—the one who would be left out.
Paying a little more attention.
When a Swordmaster paid more attention, it could make an enormous difference in the outcome.
They didn’t call it the butterfly effect for nothing.
The results were satisfactory.
With this, the preparations for the rebellion were nearly complete.
Three days.
Thus, the time remaining until the succession ceremony began to pass quickly.
—
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